About Me

Artist Statement

My focus in sculpture has led me to welding thin metal rods into organic, pod-shaped forms. These forms are covered with a variety of Japanese rice papers, some being lit from the inside. These wall, pedestal and floor pieces all have a three dimensional feel, and my focus is on the lines that flow and merge into each other. I believe it has an ironic feel to it, using metal to create a solid, strong form representing an element of nature in pods and their growth, which can be delicate, weak and fragile.

To create these forms I use my original sketches and fashion my pieces based off of my concepts, each piece transforming into something slightly different as I shape each bend in the metal as it takes on a life of its own.  Once I have resolved my skeleton I create the shell of the piece with different paper materials.

My inspiration and influence in this work originated from organic forms, mainly a seed pod’s abstract shape. I am focusing on the growth of a seed, and the different stages it goes through to transform into its final being. Some pieces are lit from within, while others are created to absorb the light that surrounds it and appear lit simply from their presence and bright translucent paper. To me this fascination with light represents a spiritual component. It shows how light permeates our lives, as it bounces, reflects, illuminates, highlights and reveals our character. Without light, nothing is revealed; we are left in the dark.

I am fascinated by the growth in natural environments as well as in people around me. Growth is a natural phenomenon and we are transformed and shaped by our own experiences in the world around us, no matter how insignificant it may seem at the time.  How people react and interact can transform you, propel you in a new direction, and change the way you ultimately think or behave significantly.  Eventually all of the hardest times we have ever faced and the greatest moments of our lives cause us to grow into something better than we were before. By showing the progression of a plant's growth, I am seeking to represent the development and change I see in the world surround me as a whole, as well as how we are impacted on a deeper, individual level.

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